Ice block and mold for forming same



' Filed Jan. 21, 1929 INVENTOR 501d i e Eieed JM H ER ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 8, 193@ SAJJIE B. REED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.-

ICE BLOCK AND MOLD FOR FORMING SAME Application filed January 21, 1929. Serial No. 333,810.

This invention relates to molded ice blocks for service of seafood, fruits and other food, and also to molds for making the same.

Pursuant to my invention, the ice block is suitably dimensioned and provided with one or more drain openings, usually wholly vertically, for the service of oysters, clams and other seafood, fruits or other suitable types of food.

In the more preferred forms of'my invention,-such as for serving oysters, clams and the like, the ice block is of general rectangular outer contour, a single drain opening at substantially the center of the block. In the most preferred forms of the invention, the ice block is molded to have a concave or dished portion in the upper face of the block for receiving an individual oyster, clam, .or for the service of other food on individual ice blocks or a group of the same on a platter or the like.

The mold for forming ice blocks, particularly applicable for use with ice making re F frigerators, comprises a hollow multiple base part for molding the blocks, the faces of the respective base portions being upwardly convex, and hollow tubes projecting therefrom, the latter for molding the drain openings at the desired locations.

Further features and objects of the invention Wlll be more fully understood from the following detail description and the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ice block suitable for the service of oysters, clams or the like, embodying a preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a multiple mold for forming ice blocks of the conparts of Fig. 2am on a somewhat decreased scale.

gig. 3 is a detail top plan view of Fig. 2; an

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on line 44 of Fig. 1. Re erring to Figs. 1 and 4:,this more preferred form of my invention illustrates an ice block 10particularly suitable for the individual service of oysters, clams and. the

tour and formation illustrated in Fig. 1; the

like, and is illustrated as of substantially rectangular outer contour, dished or concave at 11 atv its upper face 12, the concave portion 13 being of oval formation. The remaining portions of the upper face 1:2 of the block 10 may beflat, as indicated.

In this more preferred form of my invention, the drain opening 14: is located substantially centrally of the ice block. As will appear more clearly hereinafter, it is desirable my to mold the drain opening 14 of frusto-conical formation.

The ice block may be originally wholly flat at its upperface and provided with one or more drain openings, and oysters, clams, fruit or other food disposed individually or in groups of such ice blocks upon a suitable platter or the like. Upon contact of the relatively warm food with the upper face of the ice block, melting of the ice at. the upper face ensues and drainage had through the drain opening or openings whereupon a dished formation at the upper face of the block is effected.

The mold, illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, is shaped pursuant to the more referred form of my ice block, as illustrate in Figs. 1 and 4:, and accordingly, the bottom multiple base portions comprise the upwardly convex regions 15 and peripherally disposed flat portions 16. Each upward extending tube 17, open at its upper and bottom ends, may be disposed substantially centrally of each upward convex base portion 15. Each tube 17 is preferably frusto-conical, the smaller cross-section being upward, for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the ice block from each mold section, after the water has frozen. 1

The longitudinal and transverse separator strips 18, 19, are preferably integral with one another to form an open mesh member, and separable from the mold proper, to facilitate supplying the water into the individual molds to uniform depth; and the unit separator strip member ispositioned after freezing of the water. The separator strip member is suitably dimensioned to fit within the longitudinal walls 20'" and side walls 21 of the mold proper. 1 m0 -sition illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4'.

Accordingly, upon placing proper amount of water within the mold proper, say, to the level 22 indicated in Fig. 2, and the unit separate strip member 18, 19 placed within the mold proper, the water is subjected to suitable freezing temperature as in an ice making refrigerator, and freezes in due course, accompanied by an expansion in volume of the resulting ice. The open formation of the convex base sections 15 and flat base sections 16 exposes the same directly to the chilled air, and expedites the freezing of the water; the provision of hollow tubes 17 for the formation of the drain openings 14: also expedites the freezing of the water by affording thermal conduction from the metal of the mold to the locations in the water to be frozen at or about the locations of the tubes 17, and also facilitates the flow of the chilled air through the tubes 17.

In a similar manner, a plurality of tubes 17 may be employed for each mold section, thus giving rise to a plurality of openings corresponding to the illustrated opening 14.

Upon completion of the freezing operation, the mold may be subjected to a medium of relatively higher temperature, as by partially emersing the mold in a body of warm Water, thus causing the faces of the ice block in contact with the metal parts of the mold to be slightly melted, whereupon the individual ice blocks are readily removed from the mold. The separable unit construction of the longitudinal and transverse strips 18, 19 also facilitates the separability of the individual ice blocks and the removal of the same from the mold proper.

The dished or concave lower faces of the blocks when in the mold are employed as the upper face of the ice blocks in the service of oysters, clams and the like, namely, in the po- However, the flat face of the ice block may be employed, and in such circumstance flat base sections forv the mold bottom sections are employed and the tubes 17 for molding the drain openings extend from the bottom sections respectively.

In a similar manner, any desired number of drain openings may be provided.

Ice blocks embodying my invention may be employed for the service of fruits and other food, suitably to be served chilled, usually as a group on a suitable platter, or individually, but any desired service of food on ice blocks embodying my invention may be employed.

My ice blocks may be employed in lieu of present day ice cubes.

My invention obviates the use of shells for the service of oysters, clams and other sea food, which can now be served in a wholly sanitary form, as well as to preservethe food and present the same in a palatable form of Whereas, I have service.

described my inventlon by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

claim:

1. A formed block of ice having a concave upper face and an opening extending from said concave portion to a lower face.

2. A block of ice of polygonal outer outline, its upper face being dished and having an opening extending from its upper face.

3. A block of ice of polygonal outer outline, its upper face being dished and having an opening extending from its upper face, said opening being disposed substantially symmetrically relative to the outer contour of said block.

4. A block of iceof substantially rectangular outer outline, the upper face being concave, and having a vertically extending opening communicatim in its upper end with said concave portion 0 said upper face and open at the bottom face of the block.

5. A mold for forming ice blocks having a drain opening, said mold having an upwardly convex bottom section and-a member extending upwardly from said bottom section.

6. A mold for forming ice blocks having a drain opening, said mold having an upwardly convex bottom section and a perforated member extending upwardly from said bottom section.

7. A mold for forming ice blocks having a drain opening, said mold having an upwardly convex bottom section and a perforated frusto-conical member extending upwardly from said bottom section. 8. A solid refrigerant adapted for the service of food, provided with a drain opening, and having a recessed portion for holding the food, said drain opening communicating with said recessed portion for permitting water which collects in said recessed portion to drain off.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 19th day of January, 1929.

SADIE B. REED. 

